Alumni weekend being proposed by former St. Peter’s ACHS College School students

Former students and parents from St. Peter’s ACHS College School could be coming to Amherstburg some time in the future to reconnect and celebrate their accomplishments.

A group of former students and parents attended the Amherstburg private school Saturday where they were given a tour of the building and reconnected with each other. Early groundwork for a potential alumni weekend was also discussed.

Many of the the alumni that would come to Amherstburg for a possible alumni weekend would be from the former Vaughan campus while some could come from the former Haliburton location. David Ostella, now a professional race car driver who won the 2013 Canadian Porsche championship, said former ACHS students still stay in touch and support one another. He said he started with the school and headmaster Peter Thyrring when he was in Grade 3 and it paid off for him.

“I’ve always loved the school,” said Ostella.

Ostella said he loved how different the school was from a traditional school, noting there were different activities but he particularly appreciated the discipline he acquired.

“I think I needed that at the time,” he said. “The biggest thing I took away from ACHS was the discipline and respect.”

The alumni weekend is something they are investigating to bring everyone back to see Thyrring – or “Ty” as he is known – and the Amherstburg school.

“I think it would be great,” said Ostella.

Former parents and students are hopeful to start an alumni weekend at St. Peter’s ACHS College School. Some former students and parents came to Amherstburg Saturday to reconnect with headmaster Peter Thyrring and a few of his current students. From left: Thyrring, parent Anna Monachino, Cameron Sinasac, former student and current professional race car driver David Ostella, Deven Bastien, Noah Duggan, former student Christian Monachino, former student Jonmichael Ostella, parent Dino Monachino and parent Rick Bastien.

“All ACHS students kind of gravitate to one another,” added Thyrring. “It’s a cool thing.”

Ostella said all the former student he has spoken with are eager to get together again.

“All of them are just dying to see Ty,” said Ostella, who attended the school with brother Jonmichael.

Ostella said they were able to do everything from playing hockey to going horseback riding but none of that happened if they didn’t get their schoolwork done.

“You had to respect each other,” added Ostella. “There was so much that we did and it was all educational at the end of the day.”

Dino and Anna Monachino along with their son Christian came to Amherstburg Saturday from their home in Maple, Ontario. The family swears by Thyrring and his school with Anna stating they want to recruit people to go there.

“It’s a better education,” said Dino. “He makes it fun. When (Christian) was learning at Ty’s school, he always retained the information.”

Christian, who hopes to play Jr. A hockey in the Toronto area next season, said he learned both on and off the ice.

The Monachino family are also hopeful an alumni weekend can be launched with Dino stating all ACHS students are a “close knit group.”

Thyrring said an alumni weekend is a “pilot project” they hope to get off the ground. If it works, he believes it would be great for Amherstburg as more people would come into town and enjoy the community.

“The town of Amherstburg has been good to us,” he added.

Thyrring said current enrollment is now at 11 students, double from last year. He hopes to keep growing, but said it has been a slow process locally.